In this city, the ferry is not a tourist attraction, but a part of ordinary life. In the morning, locals drink tea with simite on the way to work, in the evening they meet the sunset between Europe and Asia.
In just one trip, you can see the Galata Tower, the Dolmabahce Palace, the Maiden Tower, mosques on the shores of the Bosphorus and huge gulls that fly next to the ferry in anticipation of a piece of simite.
The best part is that it is one of the most affordable modes of transport in the city. In 2026, an ordinary trip through the Bosporus on Istanbulkart costs about 50-60 liras, and some routes are considered almost the best sightseeing tour of Istanbul for this money.
And if you want a real wow-effect - it is worth at least once a ride along the long route along the Bosphorus to Anadolu Kavağı 😉 Along the way, ancient Ottoman mansions, bridges, villas by the water and a completely different Istanbul open.
By the way, many of the legendary vintage ferries, which have been more than half a century, still operate on the city lines. Locals specifically “hunt” them for the atmosphere and photos.